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Jail for Cumbrian man who made threats to court case witness

A thug who threatened a man who gave evidence against him in a court case has been jailed for 50 weeks.

Shane Collier, 26, who a judge said was known for resorting to threats and intimidation, pleaded guilty to three counts of breaching a restraining order which was put in place to protect his victim.

Carlisle Crown Court heard how Collier, of Festival Crescent, Maryport, subjected the witness to a campaign of intimidation and harassment after he was convicted of racially aggravated threatening behaviour in 2009.

He was convicted of harassing the man who gave evidence in February 2010 and magistrates imposed a restraining order to prevent trouble.

But on three occasions at the end of last year, the court heard, Collier breached the restraining order. On the first occasion, he told the man he regarded him as a “grass.”

When the man complained, Collier told the man that he should retract his complaint to the police. On the third occasion, the man saw Collier at the window of his home in Maryport, when the defendant threateningly pulled his finger across his throat.

Passing sentence, Recorder Kevin Grice said he accepted that the breaches were the result of chance meetings but he said the effect on the victim had been significant.

“He has lived in fear,” said the judge, pointing out that the victim and his children’s lives had been disrupted.